The primary election contest for District 4 on the Pierce County Council had a reversal of fortunes Thursday as University Place Mayor Ken Grassi passed Tacoma real estate agent Sharon Benson for the right to advance to the November general election.

In the count released Friday afternoon, Grassi’s lead over Benson shrank a bit to 22 votes. He had 4,227 votes to Benson’s 4205.In the latest ballot count, Republican Grassi had 4,131 votes to Democrat Benson’s 4,102. Grassi, a flower shop owner, had been gaining ground on Benson since election night, when Benson led by nearly 250 votes.